Hi Simon K

Yes three wheelers are built for a specific environment as are all specialist forklift designs.

However there is a question as to why some designs are built at all in their present form given the emphasis on engineering safety into machinery.

Forty years ago three wheel mobile cranes were being built and sold - now there are none being built I am aware of based on safety / poor stability grounds.

Tenty five years ago three wheel all terrain motorcylces were being built and sold - I still have a 1978 Honda ATV 110 on my farm. Now they are banned from sale in some countries on safety/ stability grounds.

What makes three wheel forklifts so different? I beleive a thorough risk assessment in relation to a warehouse system including mechanical handling and racking (and this includes risks in construction) would show that the best option would be wider aisles and lift heights of no more than around 5 metres.

Remember it takes very little speed to tipover a 3 wheel forklift on full or near full lock.